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Anybody who works in technology and knowledge transfer knows the feeling of trying to explain exactly what it is that we do. With a field as complex, nuanced, and layered as ours, visual storytelling becomes a compelling way to show rather than tell.
We partnered with talented motion designer Claudia Zola to create a short animated piece that offers a glimpse into how Foresight Science & Technology works, using one of our ongoing R&D projects as a case study. The goal wasn’t just to explain a technology, but to capture how technology moves from the lab to the market. It may not be must-see TV, but every project has a story to tell with its own cast of characters—the stakeholders who make impact happen.
The Case Study: A Biodegradable Bio-Pesticide for Fire Ant Control
The project featured in the video focuses on developing a biodegradable bio-pesticide for red imported fire ants, an invasive species responsible for widespread economic and environmental damage.
Fire ants affect homes, infrastructure, agriculture, and livestock, yet the tools available to control them have changed very little over the past few decades. Most existing solutions rely on a small number of aging active ingredients and are often poorly suited for environmentally sensitive settings such as backyards, gardens, and small farms.
In collaboration with USDA-ARS, and supported by multiple USDA SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards, this project explores a different approach, based on novel bioactive ingredients delivered through bait formulations designed with sustainability in mind.
At a high level, the technology combines naturally derived active ingredients, a biodegradable formulation suitable for residential and small-scale agricultural use, an innovative taste-masking strategy that enables effective bait consumption, and a solid intellectual property foundation with issued patents and pending applications.
From Research to Impact
For us, this project is a clear example of what technology transfer looks like in practice. It shows how early-stage research can move beyond the lab and gradually take shape as a real-world solution through collaboration, persistence, and careful alignment between science, policy, and market needs.
Projects like this one remind us that bringing a technology to life isn’t only about developing it, but also about finding the right language to explain it. Visual storytelling is one of the tools we increasingly use to translate complex research into narratives that can be understood, shared, and acted upon.
The video is meant as an entry point. It introduces a specific technology while hinting at the broader work we do at Foresight: helping complex ideas travel—from discovery to application and, eventually, to impact.